Business Opportunities Weblog

September 13, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 1 Comment

Rhonda Abrams At Gannett News Service:

The reality of small businesses is that family members are often called upon — or given the opportunity — to be a part of the business. Sometimes, as in my case, they’re used in a pinch. But many other times, entrepreneurs turn to family members as employees, lenders, or investors.

The key to successfully working with family members is to use clear-eyed judgment, especially about the individual involved. One of your brothers may be a responsible, hard worker who’d never resent you giving him direction. The other may be a slacker who thinks he should be in charge. So there’s no clear answer to: “Should I give my out-of-work brother a job?”

Your goal is to protect both the business and the relationship. Your business represents your financial well-being. And as hard as it is to replace great employees, it’s even tougher to replace a great brother, sister, parent, or spouse.

Photo by Horacio.

In Uncategorized | 1 Comment
Tags: Employees, Operations, Psychology